The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-02-17
Virginia Farmers.
THE ASSEMBLY ADOPTS A PLATFORM SET
TING FORTH ITS WANTS.

TIE ASSEMBLY ADOPTS A PLATFORM SET
TING FORTH ITS WANTS.
The platform adopted by the Virginia
Farmers Assembly is as follows
The oppressive taxes now being exacted from
agriculture for the benefit Interpretations and
individuals under privileges obtained from both
federal and state legislation have borne their
with its just return. Whereas during years of
peace our people have. been sorely hurdened
with war taxes, and are row grooming under
surplus is neither held In the treasury for the
public peneht nor disbursed in promotion of
the general interest, but invested in Illegal if
not i'm moral, appropriations, and financial di S.
aster TO this most numerous class of our people
is imminent il more of the proceeds of the farm
cannot be withheld from the grasp of monop-
oily, impelltd by o consciousness of the wrong
that has been perpetraied upon US by the
eft of the privileged few who have obtained
such license, the farmers of Virginia, through
their representatives, have met in assembly to
concert me ensures for their relief; and, with the
view of obtaining just and proper legislation to
this end, both at Washington and at Rich
mond, they make the following declaration of
principles, which should form the basis of such
II That government is a trust in which all
people are beneficiaries; that money taken by
law from the pockets OF the people must and
ought to be expended only for the benefit of all
the people; that to tax the people for the bene-
fit Of class or individual is but taking private
property for private use, and is but legalized
robbery.
9 That any law passed by Congress the effect
OF which is to compel one class of our people to
buy OF another class by prohibiting the impor-
price of the Thing bought to the buyer. and
places him in the power of the seller; that we
denounce ali such legislation because its legt-
innate effect is to create and maintain priviS
legged classes in he country, and thus to vio-
late the letter and spirit of our constitutions.
3. That railroads are highways opened by the
laws and authority of the state for the conve-
nience and reasonable accommodation of the
people of the state, and are not made solely for
the pleasure or benefit of the corporations who
operate them that the state in granting such
franchises acts as q trustee for the people of
the state, and as such trustee is bound to see
that the terms of the trust strictly carried
out, and whenever there is an effort on the
part of such corporations TO use their fran chises
then 1t becomes the duty of the state by proper
legislation to lnterpose for the protection of
her people. We therefore demand that the leg
1slaiu OF the state shall pass such laws as will
prohibit discrimination by railroads between
localities and individuals, requiring the publi-
cation of their tariff of tes and enforcing
these and other measures of needed relief by
adequate penalties and agencies.
4. That We endorse the measure lately pessed
by Congress, known as the Interstate COM
merce Dill, as step in the right direction, CIV
ing the producers and shippers OF the country
this measure of relief; that the power TO dis
cTi!nlnste between persons and Localities
claimed by railroad managers, their Hobbies,
agents and attorneys, is but another device for
taxing one class for the support of another;
that neither the state nor the federal govern
ment possess such power, and are, therefore,
Incapable of delegatfng it 10 the railroads: that
the exercise of such power by the creature of
Inc state is. In effect, to tako value from the
land and products in one section and below the
same value upon another.
5. We call upon our state legislature to be
v1gilant in restricting. with proper limitations,
the charters to be hereafter granted to corpor-
atoms; that charters to railroad companies
should r1gidly restrict them to the business of
common carriers that they should be prohib-
TIED absolutely from owning, directly Or ind1-
rectly, real or personal property other than act
ually necessary for their business of common
carriers; that we regard the system now prac-
ticed by certain railroad companies of buying
up, so as to monopolize, the coal and other
mineral lands of the country, as pregnant with
the greatest evil; that to corner fuel would be
scarcely less disastrous than to corner tread,
and would place the consumer at the mercy OF
essary of life.
e., We earnestly call upon our representatives
hoth by word and vote, to urge the repeal of
the tax on tobacco and fruit brandies.
I. That we hereby express orr unalterable
determination to support no man who viii not
aid us honestly and faithfully in obtaining re-
lief from the grievances complained of, and to
that end we hereby recommend that the agri-
cultural class organize throughout the state
and support men who are pledged to be in full
accord and sympathy with the farming inter-
ests for all legislative offices. both state and
national, and will pledge themselves to refuse
free passes on railroads.
3. That in the contest which is to be made
on the one hand. and the tax payers on the
other involving, as it does, a fair price to the
consumer of what he eats and wears, of the
very fuel that protects his family from the
frosts of winter involves also the continuance
OF a system OftaXation that reduces the value
of days wages one-thlrd, by increasing the
price of that which the necessities of the con-
sumner compel him to buy and whilst disciaim-
Ing any utilization With extremes, we invoke
the assistance and cooperation CT all laborei S,
whether in the field, factory or elsewhere and
ask that such unite with us and make 8 COM
mon cause against common enemy.
At the evening session Gov. Lee addressed
the assembly aprio tura
adopted;
The first section prays the general assembly
to establish department of agriculture, to be
composed of representatives from all the agri-
cultural societies in the state. This includes
hort cultural and yinticultural societies. Sec
ton provides for a board of directors. The
president, three vice presidents of the state
agricultural society, the president of each of
the other societies, and three members to be
appointed by the governor from the grand di-
visions of the state. The third section tells who
shall be the executive committee. The fourth
and fifth sections advocate an appropriation
Of $4,000 per year to the agricultural depart
ment. The sixth section, as amended, says that
from the above SUM there shall be annually
paid to the societies belonging to the board, a
sum rateably apportioned among them; that
ali amounts collected by each society, the pre-
MUM list and the amount expended therefor,
be reported to the board. This section provides
against false reports. Section requires the
state board to meet in Richmond the second
Tuesday in January OF each year. Called meet
ings are also provided for. Section provides
for an experimental station at the University
OF Virginia. and $1,000 is to be appropriated an
nually for this purpose. Section 9provides for
the Institution of farmers institutes through
ont the state and $1,000 is appropriated for this
OF lectures delivered and essays read at the
farmers institutes.
resolution wss adopted providing for the
next meeting of the assembly in Richmond on
the third Tuesday in November.